An apparatus is known from EP-B-1 247 453 and includes suspension devices for suspending the poultry by the legs. A first drum which at its periphery is provided with a first curve formed by a first groove. This groove is traced by a first projection that connects to a rotatable organ bore so as to arrange that movement of the organ bore along the periphery of the first drum causes the organ bore to be inserted from the top into the poultry being suspended by the legs for carrying out the cleaning operation.
The known apparatus further has presser means including a presser chock, which during the cleaning operation rests against the neck skin of the poultry at the breast side and pushes the neck skin of the poultry towards the organ bore. The presser chock cooperates with a second drum provided with a second groove that is being traced by a second projection connected with the pressure chock so as to arrange that the pressure chock is adjustable in height due to its movement along the periphery of the second drum. By arranging that the presser chock is adjustable in height, the pressure chock can be moved upwards at the beginning of the cleaning operation until it reaches a position wherein the pressure chock rests against the neck skin at the breast side of the poultry.
The presser chock effectively assists the scraping action of the organ bore so that its efficacy is improved. The presser chock pushing the poultry's neck skin on the breast side towards the organ bore assists in particular the effective removal of the windpipe, which, due to the nature of the tissue of which the windpipe consists, is usually difficult to remove by means of the organ bore.
It is known that the measure with which the neck skin is pressed against the organ bore is as such quite critical, since on the one hand the scraping action of the organ bore needs to be supported, while on the other hand the scraping action must not result in the neck skin being torn. It is known that an appropriate amount of pressure may be obtained if the presser chock is arranged to move upwards at the beginning of the cleaning operation until it is in a position wherein the presser chock slightly lifts the poultry while the same is suspended by the legs in the hooks. Although this arrangement allows for a considerable tolerance with regard to any possible differences in size of the poultry to be processed, practice learns that poultry sizes may differ more than can be accommodated with the arrangement known from EP-B-1 247 453.
It is remarked that from US2002/0155803 a carousel type machine is known that has a series of holding fixtures that revolve about a central axis of the machine at the same speed as a conveyor line brings carcasses suspended by their hocks to the machine. The holding fixtures are driven by a first drum and grip the carcasses by the thighs to lift them up against a stop until the tail bones are firmly seated against a stop to establish a point of reference for a processing organ that is driven by a second drum that is movable with respect to the first drum along a shared shaft. In the particular embodiment disclosed in US2002/0155803, the processing tool is a cutter in the form of a knife for making an opening cut into the body cavity of the carcass through the abdominal skin. An alternative embodiment of processing tool may include a vent cutter, for example, for cutting the vent from the carcass prior to making the opening cut. US2002/0155803 further mentions that the principles as disclosed in it encompass both such types of processing tools, and other types not specifically mentioned therein. However, this very general statement regarding the possible application to other types of processing tools does not provide any pointer, hint, or suggestion that would (instead of could) logically and inevitably lead to the application of the features of the characterizing portion of the main claim in an apparatus for carrying out a cleaning operation applied to the internal neck skin of slaughtered poultry.
It is therefore an object of the invention to make the cleaning operation also effective with notable size differences of poultry beyond what can be accommodated with the known apparatus, and to improve the scraping action and arrange that poultry of any size may be stripped reliably of windpipe, gullet and other tissue that is to be removed.